Mobile subscribers access a variety of value-added services in their home mobile networks. They usually use short codes, thereby enjoying fast and easy-to-remember access. Subscribers use short codes to access services such as voicemail retrieval, customer care service, informational services or virtual private network (VPN) services.
Yet home-network short codes are presently unavailable to subscribers while they are roaming. This situation is due to the complexity of supporting short codes of other operators. Subscribers wishing to access home value added services are, therefore, forced to remember full international telephone numbers. Moreover, they may not be able to access home value added services due to handicaps of international carriers.
Furthermore, global service providers such as airlines companies, international travel agencies, and car rental agencies may offer their customers a local toll free number, however, these numbers are not supported on a global basis due to differences in numbering plans at different networks. Thus, there is a need for a service enabling roaming mobile subscribers access to value added services.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements.